Barber&#39;s apron



M 4 z. MERCER 2,243,505

BARBERS APRON Filed Aug. 26, 1939 Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BARBERS APRON Zou Mercer, Wilmington, N. C.

Application August 26, 1939, Serial No. 292,151

A Claims.

This invention relates to barbers supplies and more particularly to an apron or shield for catching and holding hair as it is cut.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of the character described adapted to be worn around the neck of the user to prevent hair from falling on the floor when out by a barber or other person and which may be also used with equally good results for protecting the clothing when shampooing or otherwise treating the hair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protecting apron or shield comprising a resilient supporting frame covered with oil silk or other suitable fabric to form a shallow concavo-convex body portion adapted to be worn with the concave side thereof uppermost, said body portion being provided with a centrally disposed neck-receiving band adjustable laterally to accommodate necks of different sizes.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and emciency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apron or shield embodying the present invention showing the same in position on the neck of the user,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the supporting frame detached, and

Figure 5 is a sectional perspective view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

The improved apron or shield forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises a supporting frame preferably formed of resilient wire and including a relatively large outer ring 5 and a smaller inner ring 6 connected by radiating concave-convex ribs I. The ribs 1 are preferably formed of intertwisted strands, the strands at the inner ends of the ribs being extended downwardly to form vertical braces 8 and thence extended laterally to form the inner ring 6, as best shown in Figure 4 of the drawing. The supporting frame is covered with oil silk or other suitable fabric 9, the fabric being folded at predetermined intervals to form radiating pockets l0 adapted to receive the adjacent ribs I, said ribs being retained within the pockets by a row of stitching ll so as to form a concavo-convex apron. Secured to the inner ring 6 by stitching or otherwise is a neckband [2 formed of belting or other suitable material, and this band bears against the upright braces 8 so as to assist in preventing wrinkling or buckling of said band. The lower edge of the band l2 extends below the convex face of the apron and a covering strip l3 preferably formed integral with the cover 9 surrounds the lower 'portion of the band and the inner ring 6, as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. The inner surface of the neckband is also preferably covered by a strip of oil silk or other moisture-proof material l3 which is folded over the upper edge of the neckband and extends downwardly on the outer surface thereof. The concavo-convex body portion is split transversely at M and the adjacent edges of the material at said split portion are reinforced by wire strips or bars IS. The neckband I2 is also split transversely with the split portion of the band disposed in alinement with the split portion of the concavo-convex body so as to allow expansion and contraction of the parts and permit the shield to be readily positioned on the neck of the wearer. The split portion of the neckband is provided with one or more interengaging snap fasteners l6 to permit adjustment thereof to fit necks of different sizes, there being similar interengaging snap fasteners l1 and I8 arranged on opposite sides of the split portion of the concave-convex body portion, as shown, to hold said split portions detachably together.

In operation, the snap fasteners are disengaged and the apron or shield positioned around the neck of the wearer with the concave side thereof uppermost, after which the snap fasteners are interengaged thereby to hold the apron firmly in position on the neck of the wearer. As the hair is out, said hair will fall on the convex upper surface of the body portion and after the hair has been trimmed the apron may be readily removed and the hair therein dumped in a waste basket or the like.

While the device is principally designed for preventing hair from falling on the floor while being cut by a barber or other person, it will, of course, be understood that the apron may be used with equally good results for protecting the clothing when shampooing or otherwise treating the hair. As the covering for the apron is formed of oil silk or other water-proof material, the apron may be washed whenever necessary so as to keep the same in a clean sanitary condition at all times.

It will be understood that the aprons may be made in different sizes and shapes and constructed of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A barber's apron comprising a supporting frame including inner'and outer rings of different necting said rings and having their inner ends provided with vertical portions constituting braces, a covering extending over the supporting frame and secured to the inner and outer rings and ribs respectively, a neckband secured to the inner ring and bearing against the adjacent braces, said neckband being provided with a vertically split portion disposed in alinement with the split portion of the supporting frame, and interengaging fastening devices carried by the split portions of the neckband and supporting frame respectively.

'3. A barber's apron comprising a transversely aasasos split frame formed of inner and outer rings. radiating ribs connecting said rings and having their inner ends provided with vertical portions constituting braces, a covering fitted over the frame and secured to said rings and ribs respectively to form a concave-convex apron, a neckband fitting over the inner ring and bearing against the adjacent vertical braces, said neckband having its upper end extending above the concave face of the apron and its lower end projecting below the convex face of the apron, said neckband being provided with a split portion disposed in alinement with the split portion of the supporting frame, and interengaging fastening devices carried by said split portions.

4. A barber's apron comprising a concavoconvex frame formed of resilient wire and comprising an outer ring and an inner ring, the wire forming the inner ring having portions thereof intertwisted to form vertical braces and thence extended radially and attached to the outer ring to form a plurality of spaced ribs, a covering fitted over the supporting frame and secured thereto, said covering being provided with spaced pockets adapted to receive the adjacent ribs, a neckband covering the inner ring and bearing against the adjacent vertical braces, said neckband being provided with a split portion disposed in alinement with the split portion of the supporting frame, and interengaging fastening devices carried by said split portions.

ZOU MERCER. 

